R.I.P. DISSIDENT

We're very saddened to receive news today that DISSIDENT has shut their doors...absolutely one of the most inspiring vinyl only labels of recent history - renown for their 150 pressing, one sided vinyl only releases, label founder Andy Blake managed to amass over 60 12" releases and two CD compilation collections bringing forth an analogue distinctive, often dramatic and always volatile edge to the modern disco/house community.

He wrote it best in an email that went out this morning:

"'I'm not entirely sure why but it just seems obvious that it's time for me to stop the label and do something new. i could cite factors like having the label take over the rest of my life for the last two years and the original simple set of rules of play that felt so liberating to begin with having become something of a dogmatic straitjacket - a little bit like when the originally free-spirited revolutionaries find they have turned into an oppressive communist regime. a little bit, but not much :-)
There are also things like the fact that lots of people constantly assumed that the records sold out in a matter of days without taking the time to check with the label, shops or distributors to confirm this before they downloaded crappy low-res mp3s of the 'sold-out' tunes, thus somewhat defeating the object of having a vinyl only label in the first place."

It was always a joy discovering DISSIDENT platters and Andy's contribution to the community over these past two years will be dearly remembered. KOMPAKT wish Andy the best of luck with his future endeavors.